Thomas p



(No Model.)

T. F.NBLS0N.

RAILWAY ROUTE ABSTRACT.. N0. 363,907.

Patented ay 81 LAKE ONTARIO NA PETERS, Pholuthogmpher. washington, 11C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. NELSON, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOVA.

RAILWAY aou TE-ABsTRAcT.

' SPECIFICATION forming part 0I Letters Parent No. 363,907, dared May31,1887.

Application tiled -June 14, 1586.

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailwayRoute-Abstracts, of which the following` is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings. v

My invention relates to improvementsin route abstracts or guides forrailway-travelers.

The object of my invention is to readily supply the traveler with acomplete description and historical guide, mile by mile, in consecutiveorder and complete detail, for any route or tourhe may desire or select.My arrangement involves the preparation of a series of printeddescriptive sheets with marginal references to indicate theirconsecutive order of arrangement and prepared for all lines of railwayand water routes, which, when combined in their designated order, form acomplete and continuous descriptive guide directing the attention of thetraveler usin-g it to all objects of interest and historicalassociations, cities, towns, and junction-points, mile by mile, inconsecutive order and minute detail as they are passed en route. Thesesheets are adapted to be combined together in sundry orders at will forany specified or selected route or combination of routes of railway orsteamboat travel entire, or for any portion thereof, and in eitherdirection between any two or more points, as maybe desired.

For purpose of illustration I have shown in the drawings a map of arailway-route, and then have shown the arrangement and application ofthe sheets in process of combination, which forms the abstractpertainingto and describing all stations and objects of interest on theroute selected.

Figure lis aV map, showing the route selected from New York toEllenville 'va Kingston, and over portions of these different lines ofrailway,viz: the West Shore, the "WalkillValley Railroad, and the NewYork, Ontario, and Western Railroad. Fig. 2 shows the marginal referencenumbers and marks on'the various descriptive sheets or series of sheetsused in 5o the combination covering the route shown in Fig. 1. y

As a preliminary step in the description, I

Serial No. 205,053. (No model.)

will state that all railroads and water routes are, forconvenicnce,given a number which will apply to that particular lineonly, while branches oi' the same road are indicated by small superiorfigures in addition to and to the right of the principal number, andthat all the descriptive sheets pertaining to that particular line ofrailway will bear this chosen number instead of the corporate name ofthe railway or steamboat company operating the line. rIherc being twogeneral directions uponcach line of travel, the letter w prefixed tothis chosen number indicates an opposite direction from that indicatedby the number itself. These descriptive sheets are also numbered inconsecutive order along each line of road or travel, and in connectionwith the chosen number as applied distinctively to the road or line, allof which Will he more fully shown.l Saiddescriptivesheetsare preferablyprinted only upon one side, so that the other may serve for memorandum.

In making up the' abstract covering the route from New York toEllenvilleria Kingston, the sheets or series of sheets A B C D E F G H Iare used, and each of which is also complete in itself. A is composed ofa series of three sheets, as indicated by the marginal numbers 1, 2, and3, which describethe route across the river at Forty-second street, NewYork, to Weehawken, the southern terminus of the West Shore route, andalso the points of interest, together with historical facts connectedwith the places passed en4 route as far as Haverstraw, as indicated. Thenumber on the left of the margin, as 530, indicates the railway companyoperating or owning the road, and on the right, as 981-4, indicates thatthe fourth sheet of route numbered 981 would ycomplete the consecutive,order of the abstract should a change of cars at .this point be made. Nosuch change is made, however, in this instance, and the next sheet orseries of sheets of route 530 (marked B) are added," and which areconsecutively numbered 4 "and 5, completing the description of the routeas far as W'est Point, as shown thereon. ence-mark special sheet 7indicates that a sheet or series of sheets relating entirely -to WestPoint, its surroundings, and historical assoillustrations, is preparedand may be inserted The refer- IOO ciations, with special plats, maps,charts, and

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next in order where the traveler using the abstracts desires to'stop atthis place and coutinue the journey at a later day or by another train.The next sheet or section, C, completes the numerical and consecutiveorder of route 530, and is the sixth sheet, describing the route to andincluding Cornwall, while D, the seventh sheet, extends to Newberg, andthe series marked E, the eighth and ninth, complete the route toKingston, one of the specified points in the selected route. Here achange of cars to the Walkill Valley Railroad is made t and reference ishad to the marginal numbers on the right for the proper sheet or seriesof sheets which should be added to preserve continuously the descriptivematter pertainingand applying to the routeselected. The number given tothe Valkill Valley Railroad being S45, the margin to the right showsthat 84.51 is the next sheet in consecutive order to be selected. rlhepretixx indicates the direction and the figure l the number of the sheetpertaining to that line, which proves to bea series of three sheets, andis marked F. This series of sheets describes the route to CampbellI-Iall, the terminus of the W'alkill Valley Railroad, as is shown on themargin, where another change is made to the line of the New York,Ontario, and W'estern Railway, which having been numbered 524, referenceis had to the marginal numbers on the right, and it is shown that 524-8and 0524-12 will apply in the proper designated order; but the prefix xindicates the opposite direction from that which thev route as selectedmain tains, and 524-8 (marked G) is added, which describes the route toMiddletown. The numerical order of route 524 is continued, and the ninthsheet (marked H) is added, which completes the route to Summitville, asindicated. Here another change is made, and again reference is had tothe marginal reference on the right for the proper sheet to add to stillpreserve the route in its continuous and consecutive order, which showsthat 5242-1, and marked I, should follow, and which,

when added, completes the route to Ellenville,

which is also the terminus of a branch of 524, as indicated. Ihesesheets, when properly selected, as shown, form a continuous descriptiveabstract or guide for the route or combination of routes selected,and-as thus arranged are stitched or fastened together in any suitavblemanner to form a book for more convenient reference, and which, when sobound, concoals from view the marginal figures and reference-marks, theyhaving no reference whatever to the subject-matter contained in thesheets or series of sheets to which they apply, only so far as theyindicate the proper order of consecutive arrangement. The said sheetswhen so arranged, as indicated, will Acontain all information concerningchanges of cars, cities, towns, and junction-pomts with other or set ofsheets may form a part of any abstract the route of which shall includethe section of country to which the sheet relates. For eX- ample, shouldthe route selected be from New York city to Ellenville via Cornwall, ofthe sheets shownin Fig. 2 sheets A B C will first be taken, then will beadded a sheet or sheets descripti ve of theroute from CornwalltoCampbell Hall, and then the abstract will be completed by adding thesheets G H I, the marginal index figures and marks on the several sheetsserving in each case to secure a proper arrangement of the propersheets. It is also intended to include in their proper place and ordermaps and illustrations ofthe route and plats ofcities, towns, andjunction-points, showing location of depots, hotels, &c.; alsospecialsheets describing in more minute detail cities, towns,localities, lakes, rivers, mountains, objects of interest, &c., in theirproper order and place and in the manner set forth, at will, as may berequired or desired by the traveler or person using the abstract.

Vhat I claim isl l. The series of independent descriptive sheets orsections adapted, substantially as described, to be gathered in sundryorders to form a continuous description of consecutive points on anyselected route of travcLsubstantially as described.

2. In a railway route-abstract or travelers guide, the series ofdescriptive or illustrative sections or sheets,each of which relates tosome definite portion of sundry routes of travel and has the descriptionor illustration of said portion complete in itself'and terminatingwiththe sheet or section, whereby said sheets and sections are adapted to becollected together in the order necessary to the selected route withoutmaking any break in the narrative or confusion in the sense thereof,substantially as described.

3. The series of independent descriptive sheets, each having on itsmargin a series of index-figures and reference-marks, whereby itsposition in any one of sundry orders of gathering to which it is adaptedis' determined and a continuous description of consecutive points on anyselected route of travel is secured, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. NELSON.

Witnesses: g

C. D. VAN VncnrnN, M Lmit DnAcoN.

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